Nearly 200 local Special Olympic athletes will take over the Pin and Cue in Whitefish for the annual Holiday Bowl on Dec. 3, and organizers are inviting the public to join the fun as audience support.
Shelley Emslie of the Glacier Area Management Team said the event offers a chance for the community to come together to support 191 bowlers from the area participating in this year’s competition.
“If you’ve never been to a Special Olympic event, they’re just unbelievable,” Emslie said. “Your cheeks hurt from smiling so much; they’re just awesome.”
Emslie said the Holiday Bowl is not a fundraiser for the winter or spring Special Olympic games, but rather a time for the Glacier area athletes to get together for a day of friendly competition.
The Glacier Area Management Team works with 22 Special Olympic teams in the Flathead and Glacier areas, spearheading events such as the Holiday Bowl and the first-ever basketball tournament held in October this year.
“It was amazing,” Emslie said of the tournament. “The turnout was great.”
Students from Glacier High School worked with the athletes on their skills before the games, she said, and refereed the matches once the play got going.
At the Holiday Bowl, Emslie said she plans on bringing her fifth-grade class from Swan River School to cheer on the local athletes as they compete in morning and afternoon bowling matches.
Any member of the community can stop by for a dose of the 10-pin action, she said.
“You can watch, you can cheer, you can support,” Emslie said. “We’re going to go and high-five all day.”
The event starts at 10 a.m. with two rounds before a pizza lunch. The afternoon play will begin for the second set of bowlers after lunch, but Emslie said these arrangements might have to be altered to accommodate the large number of participants.
The state Special Olympic Winter Games are scheduled to take place in Whitefish from Feb. 27 to March 1. Emslie also noted that the Spring Games are a particular favorite for the local athletes because they incorporate multiple outdoor sports, such as track and field.
For more information on Special Olympics Montana, visit www.somt.org.